[0:00] If you'd like to turn in your Bibles, we're going to be in Acts chapter 8.
[0:18] Acts chapter 8. And as you see in your bulletin or else on the screen, our desire is that you would see your place in the story.
[0:32] So again, it's been two years, Kay and I, when we were here last time, had just been a few weeks earlier still living in the UK, outside of London with the International Mission Board.
[0:46] We've been back for two years. Kay and I met at OBU, so it's really special to be back at OBU for us. I grew up outside of Claremore. Kay grew up in Oklahoma City. And so it's good to be back in Oklahoma.
[0:59] This week at OBU, we had the one-year renewal time of celebrating God's mercies from the tornado a year ago. And so Kay and I have still saying about being in Oklahoma, the wind still comes sweeping down the plain, and people in Oklahoma are wonderful.
[1:19] So we're enjoying being back here. Acts chapter 8 is our text this morning. It's kind of hard. Have you ever found yourself where you're telling a story, but there are little details that really come in the way of the story that you're telling?
[1:40] And people can get caught up in the little details. Well, that's what's going in our passage this morning. So we're going to be looking at Acts chapter 8. But actually, the story that starts in Acts 8, 1 keeps going all the way to Acts 11.
[1:56] And there are these little details that kind of could sidetrack you. So let me give you the overall story, and then we'll look at parts of it this morning. So remember that when Stephen was stoned, there was a persecution that started against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered, remember?
[2:15] And so remember that Philip was scattered, and he went a little ways north from Jerusalem to Samaria, and he was sharing the gospel there.
[2:25] Remember, he's one of the deacon guys. He was sharing the gospel there, and Samaritans started coming to faith. And so remember that the apostles in Jerusalem sent Peter and John up to Samaria, and by the end of chapter 9, there were churches planted all through Samaria.
[2:48] And then remember that as Peter's there in the middle of this time of people coming to faith, an angel told him, and then the Holy Spirit guided him to go south from Samaria, and he went down to a desert road, and there's a guy in a chariot reading Isaiah 53.
[3:10] He comes to faith, and the church is planted in the continent of Africa, according to church history. And then remember, it says at the end of our chapter that Philip is in Caesarea over on the Mediterranean coast.
[3:26] Then we get in the distractions from our story. Please hear, Scripture's a perfect treasure. This is exactly how it was supposed to be put together. But chapter 9 talks about a guy named Saul who started the persecution and him coming to faith.
[3:42] Chapter 10 has other parts of the story. And so chapter 11, we finally get back to the ones who were scattered.
[3:54] Some of them went even further north. They went all the way up to Antioch, and a church was planted. And way up at Antioch, actually the Lord was moving the center of church sending from Jerusalem to that church in Antioch.
[4:11] And so those three times in our story, people were scattered, went to new places, and churches were started. And so as we think about those three this morning, I'm pretty sure some were scattered by life.
[4:33] Some were sent. And some were just being spirit-led. And I'm pretty sure God needs for every believer here to see yourself as one of those three.
[4:47] So I think every one of us, God wants you to see your place in the story. Actually, I think every one of us today fall into one of four categories.
[5:01] Well, let's start off with Acts chapter 8. Let's read verses 1 through 5. If you'll stand with me as God's word is read, as they did back in Nehemiah's day. Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death, Stephen.
[5:17] And on the day, a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem. And they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.
[5:27] Some devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, dragging off more women. He would put them in prison.
[5:39] Therefore, those who had been scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming Christ to them.
[5:50] Let's bow together for prayer. Father, I thank you for each one who's here today. Father, you've brought them here on purpose.
[6:01] And we do ask that everyone in this room who wants to hear from God would. I ask that you'd give us ears to hear.
[6:13] And those who have ears to hear, let them hear. We ask in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. All right. So we're going to walk through this whole chapter, but just a few verses of it.
[6:27] You can relax. I was remembering today, Kay, as we were driving up here, that there was one time when we were at the International Mission Board when I was given a week, I think it was four sessions for a retreat.
[6:43] And so the four sessions were all about 45-minute sessions, and they were all from Acts 8. So you can relax. We're not going to go in-depth into Acts 8.
[6:55] We're going to do the overview, which is what I think we're supposed to do today. I think we're supposed to get the whole picture, not dig deep into one part of it. So I want you to notice what's going on here.
[7:07] And that is that there are people who were scattered, and those who were scattered were sharing Christ. Okay? So that's just nearly straight out of the text.
[7:18] Scattered ones were sharing Christ. And I think that's how God wants some of you to be encouraged this morning, that you are scattered.
[7:31] And as a scattered one, you can do what they did in this passage, that this passage could be an example for this week as you could be sharing Christ. So I just love how Scripture is such a perfect treasure.
[7:46] There's a word here. The word scattered is the spiral word, like you're sowing seed, the spiral word. Remember back then, they didn't have machines to do it.
[7:58] And so back then, it was literally by hand. If you were going to be scattering certain kinds of seed, you would just be grabbing it out of the bag. And then as you're sweeping across your body, the seeds would go far out.
[8:13] And so this is scattered with a little preface in front of it, meaning throughout. Diaspiro is the word. So scattered throughout. Actually, that word is only used three times in the New Testament.
[8:27] I love how God's Word is such a perfect treasure. So in Acts chapter 8, verse 1, it says scattered throughout. And then in Acts chapter 8, verse 4, it says scattered throughout. And then over in chapter 11, when the guys get to Antioch, it uses that same word for the third and last time.
[8:45] So it appears to me that we have this clear connection from the word that's used that it's all one story, that these guys were scattered at the same time.
[8:57] Now, I said that this word is used only three times in the New Testament. But that core word, the core word spiraled is a real common word in the New Testament.
[9:09] Let's go back to Matthew chapter 13. If you're following along in your Bibles, would you go with me to Matthew chapter 13? You'll remember a number of the stories, the parables that Jesus told in Matthew chapter 13.
[9:22] The most famous one would be the parable of the sower, the spiraler, the scatterer. It's the same word.
[9:33] That spiral word. It's the word for the sower. And as a matter of fact, the text kind of emphasizes the word because it says, the sower sowed.
[9:44] The sower sowed. And as he sowed. So catch how the repetitions there over and over and over again. The sower sowed. The sower sowed. The sower sowed. And so catch as he's sowing.
[9:56] You remember the story. Some of the seed fell on the path and the birds came and got it. And some of it fell among the rocky soil and some of it fell among the thorns.
[10:07] And some of it fell among good seed and had a harvest 30, 60, and 100. You remember the story. The New Testament says that in the parable of the sower, the seed is the word of God.
[10:20] And so when we are the sowers, then the seed is the word of God. But go down to chapter 13, verse 37. I'm going to read 37 through 43. Matthew chapter 13.
[10:34] Jesus told another parable, parables. But he also told a story about tares among wheat.
[10:46] That a man sent his workers out into his field and he sowed. But then an enemy came.
[11:02] This is the time to play the scary music, children. Okay. The enemy came and he sowed weeds in the field. And the workers were all surprised and said, didn't you sow good seed in your field?
[11:18] Do you want us to go tear up the weeds? And he said, no, that's what you'd do. You'd tear things up. Just let them grow together. And at the harvest, we'll separate them.
[11:29] Now drop down to verse, actually, let's start in verse 36. Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.
[11:47] Okay. I want you to catch what's going on here. The parable's over. Now we have Jesus Christ explaining what it meant. The parable's over and Jesus is explaining.
[12:02] Verse 37. He said, the one who sows the good seed is the son of man.
[12:14] Okay. We're not the sowers now. Now, in this parable, we do not sow. The one who sows the good seed is the son of man.
[12:31] And the field is the world. Pastor Mike, that shouldn't have surprised anybody in the room.
[12:42] Because you've talked about what God created in Genesis 1. It wasn't just Oklahoma. It wasn't just the United States.
[12:58] No, he's the creator of heaven and earth. I like to tell the new missionaries, you're not bringing God in your back pocket to a new country where he's not.
[13:10] No, he's been at work there long before you got there. Always been at work there. His field is the world. And as for the good seed, these are the sons, and can I add, and daughters of the kingdom.
[13:33] So when Jesus sows, he doesn't sow God's word. When Jesus sows, he sows the sons and daughters of the kingdom.
[13:49] That's every believer in this room. The tares are the sons of the evil one.
[13:59] The enemy who sowed them is the devil. This is sobering.
[14:13] There is an enemy who's hindering God's work in this planet. There is an enemy who tries to sow counterfeit things.
[14:25] There is an enemy who tries to stop what God is doing. Now, please hear the workers were all alarmed by it. Jesus Christ was not.
[14:37] The owner was not. He said, don't worry about it. I know what's going on. But catch that there's an enemy who's opposing the gospel, and he is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age.
[14:51] Remember, this isn't a parable. This is Jesus' teaching. He's explaining it. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.
[15:08] The Son of Man will send forth his angels and will gather out of his kingdom all stumbling blocks and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
[15:23] Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their father. He who has ears to hear.
[15:35] Let him hear. There might be someone here today who's been making light of the gospel. There might be someone here today who's been scoffing.
[15:51] trust Christ. But catch, but catch, this business of scattering is serious business.
[16:30] Eternal things are at stake. So let's go to the idea of scattering. So how does Jesus scatter people in his field? Ah, Pastor Mike, I just love scripture. It's just perfect treasure.
[16:43] So this word scattered is picked up in Acts chapter 8, and we have the perfect picture of what it looks like to get scattered. So in Acts chapter 8, the scattering is because there was persecution going on in Jerusalem. Oh my goodness, persecution. Oh my goodness. God in heaven must be worried. Excuse me? Remember Psalm chapter 2? I love Psalm chapter 2 because the kings of the world are plotting against God and his Messiah. You remember what God in heaven's doing? He's laughing at them.
[17:26] That's how awesome your heavenly father is compared to the scheming of wicked men. He laughs in heaven. They're not a threat to God. So catch what God's going to use to get Stephen from Jerusalem to Samaria. It looks like something really bad.
[17:51] Can I say that if you're a teenager here and your family moved and you had to leave friends, it didn't feel good. We understand that that can be hard. But can I tell you that your father is working to help you where he wanted you in his field and that you can trust that the heavenly father has a plan for where he has you now. You can trust him. And so how does scattering happen? Well, my mom and dad grew up in McIntosh County. They wanted better school systems for their children. And so they moved outside of Claremore so we could go to better schools. And he was a commercial carpenter and there were better jobs in Tulsa as a carpenter. And so what moved them was a job. Michael, you told me that's what got you to Bartlesville. Was a job. Can I see your hands if your great-grandparents lived in
[19:02] Bartlesville? Can I see your hands? There are one, two, three, maybe ten of you. Okay, maybe ten of you.
[19:13] The rest of you got scattered here. The rest of you got scattered here. Life happened to you, but actually God was at work.
[19:24] He was either causing it or using it, either one. He allowed it or else he caused it. I mean, it was his perfect plan or else we know sin's never his will, but he allows all of it. He's in control.
[19:37] He's sovereign. So please catch that you are where you are because God has plans for you here. God scattered. And so that's a picture of how Philip got to where he is.
[19:54] Now, let's go to Acts chapter 11 and see these other guys. Acts chapter 11. Remember, we said that it's the third use of the word scattered. Let's start at verse 19.
[20:13] So then those who were scattered, there's our word, because of the persecution occurred in connection with Stephen. So we know this is tied to the end of chapter seven and the beginning of chapter eight. Occurred in connection with Stephen, made their way to Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone. Hmm, that doesn't sound much like Matthew 28, to just talk to people who look like me. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene who came to Antioch and began speaking to Greeks also preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them. A large number who believed turned.
[21:01] I love these guys because we're not told their names. We were told that Philip was the one who went to Samaria and the new church started among the Samaritans. We're not told these guys' names.
[21:13] What I love about that is in Spanish, it just comes out better to me. They're hombres y nombres, men without names. They're just nameless people. And nameless Christians got to Antioch and they helped start one of the greatest churches in history. When my mom and dad got up to outside of Claremore at Vertigris, there wasn't a Baptist church there. So my mom and dad got, with some others and helped start the church that I grew up in. Just nameless people getting to where the gospel's not and being used in God's plan. Is this beautiful or what? Okay. So again, I would like every one of you to think for a minute, God, am I supposed to see myself as the scattered ones in this story? There is a sense, Pastor Mike, where everybody, every Christian is a scattered one because that's what Matthew 13 showed. But maybe that's the main way you're supposed to see yourself in this story. Is where that call that I need to make on that new client I'm going to go see on
[22:28] Wednesday this week, actually God's scattering me. Those moms on that new softball team or baseball team that my kids are starting, actually being around those moms, God's scattering me.
[22:48] I don't know, but there might be somebody in the room who goes to Walmart this week. And you could say, actually, a chance to particularly, of course, as Christians, we know we're supposed to be looking out for pantheon, people of other ethnicities.
[23:08] And at Walmart, you might get to run into somebody from another ethnicity. And what I would want you to see after this morning is actually that wasn't just chance. Actually, I want you to see God scattering you. Because what did Philip do when he got there? He shared Jesus Christ. That's the picture for scattered ones. Now, let's go back in our text. Let's go down to chapter, verse 14. So, we're in Acts chapter 8. I warned you that we're going to be walking through the whole chapter.
[23:46] So, let's look at Acts chapter 8. So, the next group were ones who were not just life happened, but they were sent very specifically. So, they're sent ones. Look at verse 14.
[23:59] Now, when the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the Word of God, they sent them Peter and John. So, the apostles, which means sent out ones, the sent out ones sent Peter and John. Or else you could say, the apostles apostled, because it's the same noun and verb, the apostles apostled Peter and John. But catch, these are not nameless guys.
[24:30] This is Peter and John. They're the big guys. Okay? Okay. I mean, remember three times in the Gospels, we're told who the 12 apostles are, and Peter and John are on all the lists. And then in Acts chapter 1, verse 13, we're told for the fourth and final time, the names of the 12 apostles, and Peter and John are on the list. Okay? So, these are the big guys. As a matter of fact, we're told in Revelation chapter 21 that in heaven, they're going to be the names of the 12 apostles. And guess which two of those names I'm expecting to see in heaven? Peter and John. Okay. But here's the deal. Here's the deal. Because Acts 14, remember verse 14 in Acts 14, is this amazing place because it says the apostles, apostles, Paul and Barnabas. Barnabas? Really? Barnabas is called an apostle? Oh, let me go back.
[25:39] Let me see the list in Matthew. Hmm, Barnabas isn't there. Let me find the list in Mark. Barnabas isn't there. Let me go over to Luke, through the list in Luke. Barnabas isn't there.
[25:54] Let me go to the list in Acts chapter 1, verse 13. Barnabas isn't there. Barnabas, who's he? See, Scripture, your Bible demands that there's a category for sent out ones, apostles, beyond the 12.
[26:09] And many call them Pauline church planters, Pauline missionaries, or sent out ones is the word that I like to use. Just translate the word, sent out ones. And actually, is there anyone here who's a teenager?
[26:30] Can I see your hands if you're a teenager? Okay. Anybody? We've got some all over. Okay. So I was a teenager. I was a teenager over at Vertigris. How far is Vertigris from here?
[26:43] Claremore's an hour? 47 minutes, okay? Happens to be 47 minutes. I thought it was under an hour. Very good. So I was over there, and a guy who used to be a missionary came to my church. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
[27:00] A guy who used to be a missionary is at your church. Okay. So a guy who used to be a missionary came to our church, and he talked about the world. Oh, yeah. The guy who used to be a missionary at your church is talking about the world.
[27:14] And inside of me, the Holy Spirit said, that's for you, Albert. And that was when I was first called. My wife, Kay, and I were newly married. I mean, not brand new, but we'd been married less than two years.
[27:32] And we were pastoring at Perkins. How far away is Perkins? Not far. We were over at Perkins as pastor, First Baptist. And we were at a state meeting, Oklahoma City.
[27:47] And somebody who used to be a missionary was talking about the need in the world. And I leaned over to my wife, and I said, I think God's telling us we're supposed to go now.
[28:00] And about a year later, we were in training. And within a year and a half, we were living in Mexico, learning language to plant churches.
[28:12] You see, everybody's scattered, but God tells some people, you can't stay in Claremore. Case from Oklahoma City. You can't stay in Oklahoma City and be in the middle of my will.
[28:26] Some are called as sent out, Pauline kind of missionaries. And those missionaries can't stay home, or else they're in sin. And I like to tell the new missionaries, because we deal with about 40 or 50 students at OBU who are called to the nations.
[28:42] And I say to them, if God lets you be a missionary, it's an awesome thing. It's an awesome life. Now, please hear, getting to be a pastor is an awesome thing.
[28:54] Getting to be a faithful Sunday school teacher is an awesome thing. Getting to be a godly mother is an awesome thing. God's plan for you is awesome, okay? I mean, it's not like it's just missionaries. But getting to be a missionary is really awesome.
[29:10] And some this morning, God might be saying, I'm wanting to show you that your place in the kingdom is you're a sent out one. And in my time, remember, I was called as a teenager.
[29:24] And then in my 20s, God said, now's the time. So you don't need to worry about the details. The same one who calls you will show you the details. But if God's telling you you're supposed to be a sent out one, you're supposed to be a Pauline missionary who goes where the gospel's not kind of person, then you'll want to come and tell Pastor Mike that.
[29:46] The church will pray with you. The church will help you over the years. Actually, at the Tom Elliff Center, we have resources to help teenagers that we provide to the church so that the church guards them well as they're going to the nations.
[30:02] But God's still telling some people, your place in the body of Christ is not to go for a little bit. Can I finish 30 years with the IMB? A number of our friends, we just had friends in our home.
[30:17] Yes, actually yesterday morning they left. And they'd spent 10 years in India. And now they're back on church staff in Mississippi.
[30:30] So I'm not saying it has to be 30 years. But sent out ones don't go for just a little bit. They kind of like the Abraham call, I want you to leave your family and your land and go to a place that I'm going to show you.
[30:46] We hang out with people who have heard that same call. So God's telling some, your gifting, your calling is for a major part of your life to be overseas.
[30:58] Now, what's beautiful about that is, as Pastor Mike mentioned, we got to hang out with, directed the orientation of more than 7,000 new workers.
[31:10] Some of the ones who went were in their 70s. Weren't very many, but there were a couple in their 80s. The main group was in, say, 25 to 40.
[31:21] But we had every age group, quite a few in their late 50s. Quite a few who had finished their first career and they were starting another one. Some of those who go, who went in their 50s to age 20 years.
[31:37] God calls all kinds. But I do want you to hear clearly, God's still calling some to go where the gospel's not.
[31:48] Right now, if you went to imb.org, they have in big letters, 59% of the world today is considered unreached. Meaning Jesus is largely unknown among 4.6 billion people.
[32:04] I don't know about you, but I find that unacceptable. I don't think it's the will of God that 4.6 billion people haven't heard of Jesus or barely know someone who does.
[32:21] Today, hundreds of thousands of people, today, today, hundreds of thousands of people will die without the hope of Jesus. The IMB exists to address this problem. The world's greatest problem, lostness.
[32:34] We send missionaries to the nations to share the good news of Jesus. So some people are sent out ones who start churches in our text. But let's end up, let's look at verses, let's start at verse 26.
[32:48] Let's finish the chapter. Because some people, they are scattered because I think all Christians are scattered. But the primary thing that God's doing is not just getting scattered by life.
[33:02] But the Holy Spirit is saying, you're supposed to go to this place. Some are spirit-led to help with the picture of the gospel getting to the ends of the earth.
[33:19] You see, at the end of our chapter, we said that Philip ends up in Caesarea. 15 to 20 years later, in the book of Acts, Philip is found again.
[33:30] Guess where he is 15 or 20 years later? He's still at Caesarea. He's raising his four daughters. Philip is never called a sent out one. He's never called an apostle. He's never called a missionary.
[33:41] I think he's a picture that many Christians hear the Holy Spirit saying, the pastor told about some group who's going to Mexico.
[33:53] Pastor told about some group who's going to Kosovo. Pastor told, one of my friends said about a group that's going to India. And inside of you, you felt like, huh, I think I'm supposed to go with them.
[34:09] And the Spirit leads you to be a part of what God is doing. And it's not going to be for the rest of your life. It's going to be for that trip.
[34:21] But let's go ahead and read it in verse 26. But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.
[34:33] This is a desert road. I love this. Now, how well were things going in Samaria for Philip? He was seeing revival.
[34:44] Hello? He's in the middle of a revival. And the Spirit told him to leave the revival and go to a, what kind of road?
[34:56] A desert road. You don't understand, Albert. I've been thinking that I'm supposed to go on that trip, but I don't have the money.
[35:08] I'm trying to buy a bigger boat and I just can't afford it right now. You don't understand, Albert. I think I'm supposed to be a part of this trip, but, you know, my daughter's got a dance recital in the middle of that, in the middle of that trip.
[35:27] It just doesn't make a bit of sense for me to go. Can I remind you, child of God, who's smarter, Albert or God?
[35:40] It really helps me to remind myself of this every day. Now, some of you may get it down where you don't have to say it so often to yourself. Have you ever been offended like I have by Proverbs chapter 3?
[35:50] Have you caught how offensive God is sometimes? Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Oh, I like that part. That's good. Trust in the Lord. Amen.
[36:01] Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on what? Okay, repeat that to yourself every morning this week.
[36:15] Trust in the Lord with all your heart. but whatever you do, don't dare lean on your understanding, Albert. Do you see how that's rather offensive?
[36:28] I like my understanding. It makes sense to me. Okay? Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Lean not on your understanding. If the Spirit's guiding you to go talk to somebody at home, if the Spirit's guiding you to be a part of a trip, if the Spirit's guiding you to give more generously to the Matthew 28 offering, if the Spirit's guiding you to get up out of your bed in the middle of the night and fall on your knees and pray for somebody that you know is on the field, you listen to the Spirit.
[37:01] And this group of people, their Spirit led to do something that's not a lifetime calling, but in my Bible, the Spirit tells people to do things, and what does the text say Philip did?
[37:11] He ran to a man. Our daughter and son-in-law and two of our grandchildren live in Turkey.
[37:25] They're in their eighth year as missionaries there. Looks like they're, let me just say that everybody else on their team has had visas denied.
[37:37] And she called us this week just distraught. I'm not even going to give you her name, but would you pray for Albert and Kay's daughter for visas. She called us this week.
[37:50] Was it, what morning was it? It was Friday morning. And then all through the day, Kay and I had strangers come up to us and say, how's your daughter doing?
[38:06] Two days ago, we had people we had never spoken to before come up to us. and say, how's your daughter? You see, God wants you when the Holy Spirit prompts you to fall on your knees and pray for the ones that He's telling you to pray for.
[38:31] Because you see, God uses the whole body of Christ. Pastor Mike, I love it how the Bible says that we are, that we are partners. partners. Philippians chapter 1 and verse 4 and chapter 1 and chapter 4 it says that Paul says he calls those who gave money so that he could go, he calls them partners in the gospel.
[38:54] And those of you who have given for the causes of the gospel getting to the ends of the earth, Scripture says you had a part. And I know that there are people around you who think that was foolish for you to give sacrificially but please hear me.
[39:12] That's how God orchestrated the kingdom. And those of you who pray regularly for missionaries, I just want you to know that in Colossians Paul calls out to the church and he says pray for us.
[39:27] And so some people aren't supposed to that God's perfect plan for your life is not for you to go and spend eight years in Turkey. It's not for you to go and spend time in South Asia where Kay and I were or in Latin America.
[39:40] But he has a place for you in what he's doing in the world. And it's going when the Spirit tells you to go for a short period of time. It's giving generously because you want his name known and it's praying faithfully whenever he calls it to mind.
[40:01] I think every believer here, Pastor, is either right now the main thing God's doing in your life is you're a scattered one. Every Christian is scattered.
[40:12] But I think the main thing he's doing is he's showing you this week at that new ball team you're scattered. This week those work appointments God's scattering you.
[40:27] This week when you go to Walmart you're there on mission God's scattering you. There may be some like 13 year old Albert like Albert and Kay in their 20s and God's saying I'm sending you and it's going to be more than a day or two it's going to be more than a month or two I'm sending you and that's how you fit into the body.
[40:55] And to many others he's saying when the Spirit guides you run and you don't worry of whether or not it makes sense because God has a place in the glory of Christ covering the earth as the waters cover the sea for every believer.
[41:18] Now some of you caught in the introduction that I said one time that there are four groups. I only said it once every other time I talked about three.
[41:31] Some of you were paying close attention. The reason I said four groups is because some of you are not scattered nor are you sent nor are you Spirit led actually you're separated from God.
[41:52] and why you're here today is for the gospel. Maybe Matthew 13 about the two extremes of eternity and God's drawing you to himself this morning and you would want to respond because you're not part of what God's doing on the planet as far as his children until you repent and believe in Jesus.
[42:23] And then the Holy Spirit of God comes to live inside of you and you have this awesome privilege of joining what God is doing in our day.
[42:34] So we're going to stop and I'm going to pray and then the pastor is going to be here and there'll be a time. It may be that you need to come and just share with him or just come here and pray. It may be that you see exactly where you fit in but every believer in this room I believe God wants you to see yourself as one who's been scattered one who's been sent or one who's spirit led to serve alongside.
[43:03] Let's pray. Father we asked at the beginning that everyone in this room who wanted to hear from God would.
[43:13] and now we're just asking that you would finish that. Make crystal clear what you're saying to your body and then let us be like Philip may we run to obey.
[43:33] We pray in Christ's name. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.